Househould uses for coffee grounds

Just because the coffee has been brewed and your caffeine fix is in check doesn’t mean those coffee grounds left in the filter are no good anymore. For the thrifty coffee drinker, their usefulness has actually just begun. As many people know coffee grounds are fantastic in compost piles and serve as a great fertilizer for both indoor and outdoor plants. What many people don’t know is that they have many other uses most people have never even dreamed of before. With no further ado, let’s take a look at some creative alternative uses for your old coffee grounds.

Something all cat owners should know is that they cannot stand coffee grounds. If you have a problem with cats, your own or anyone else’s using your garden or kids sandbox as an auxiliary toilet, start dumping your old grounds around wherever it is they are going and it will end in the snap of a finger. If the problem is in the garden the effect of this can be further heightened by tossing some orange peels around as well. Also if you have a cat that loves getting into the garbage, toss some coffee grounds in there and the problem is solved.

For dog owners, rub some coffee grounds through their coat after you bathe them. While no scientists have chimed in on this, it is said that this will help repel fleas which will keep Rover and you happy, especially if he is primarily an indoor dog.

Coffee grounds are also good for your hair, but not because of a flea problem, but because of what old coffee grounds can add to your hair. When you wash your hair, rub some old coffee grounds through those locks when wet, rub in, and then thoroughly rinse them out. This will add some extra shine to your hair as well as soften it. As a bonus if you have brown hair old coffee grounds will add highlights to it.

Its benefits to your beauty regiment don’t end there though. Pat the old grounds on your skin and massage them in for a few minutes. Rinse and repeat if desired, and you have just exfoliated your skin without having to pay for any fancy products. You can also add some old coffee grounds to your skin mask as another alternative.

Rather than using baking soda to deodorize your refrigerator or freezer, empty some grounds into a Dixie cup or small bowl and try that instead. The grounds absorb the moisture that leads to odors just as well and are always available. A general rule of thumb is to change the grounds out about one each month just to get the best results possible. You can also dump some old coffee grounds into

cheesecloth or old nylons and hang this anywhere you may have an odor problem like a closet, near a litter box, or even in the bathroom.Also if you have handled anything which leaves a strong smell on your hands, rubbing them with old coffee grounds before washing will get the stink off you in short order.

Yet another alternative use for coffee grounds is to use them as a cleaning agent. Anytime you need a good abrasive cleaner, aside from on something that will stain, old coffee grounds work wonders. If you use wet old coffee grounds, you can use them to remove scratches from furniture.

A few other neat alternative uses for old coffee grounds are that you can add them to a bowl (or larger vessel if necessary) of warm water and allow them to sit until they create a natural dye. Simply strain the grounds out and you can use this to color fabric, Easter eggs, add to henna for a temporary tattoo, or paper. If you add some old coffee grounds into the soil you are keeping bait worms in they will actually live a little longer, they can be used to repel ants, and they can be sprinkled in a fireplace so that you don’t have to deal with a cloud of ashes when you clean it out.

Old coffee grounds have so many good practical uses that apply to all areas of the home and garden that just tossing them out is a waste. Even if you don’t have an immediate use for them, take them outside and sprinkle them in your garden or flower beds. You’ve already paid for them and reaped some of their benefits, why not take full advantage of the others?